(5) Portland Timbers (10,10,4, 34 points) vs (7) LAFC (9,9,6, 33 points)
Sunday, September 19, 2021, KO 4:30 PM PST/ 7:30 PM EST
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
Portland Timbers Briefly
This will be the second time this season the Timbers are playing against LAFC. The Rose City side is looking to break the dominance the Tinsel Town side had recently.
The Timbers are enjoying their best football right now, despite lowering their guard against Colorado and earning a draw.
However, the Green and Gold don’t need to rely on luck as well as prayers. It really needs to step up to its game and dictate it from start to finish, especially when they have an upper edge in possession!
The Timbers have ten games left and the need to produce positive results is a must and to see its whole starting eleven shine in every game.
Teamwork is imperative for this team to produce positive results in the remainder of the campaign as well as be ready for the postseason. Still, one game at a time is a remainder for Gio and company, and give their best in the field.
This team doesn’t need to rely exclusively on Sebastian Blanco or Felipe Mora as its playmakers when you need Dairon Aspirilla and Yimmi Chara to become the leaders in the attacking core. They also need their defensive game to shine not losing their head and play an intelligent game from start to finish.
My question is where Diego Valeri is as he is not even among the substitutions as of late. Remember, this man used to carry this team on his shoulders, and now he’s forgotten in the bench or not even in the twenty.
Gio needs to make things work and again make some defying changes in the starting eleven and rotate his players more and give them minutes in the field. Thankfully for Sebastian Blanco, taking over the role of creative playmaker, the man is making a huge difference lately.
Probable Lineup:
GK Steve Clark, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Larry’s Mabiala, Dario Zuparic, Claudio Bravo; Diego Chara, George Fochive; Yimmi Chara, Sebastian Blanco, Dairon Aspirilla; Felipe Mora
LAFC Briefly
Manager Bob Bradley is seeing a turnaround for his Black and Gold despite his star striker Carlos Vela on the IL, as well as Diego Rossi’s departure to Turkey’s Super League giants Fenerbahce SK.
With a midweek win over expansion side Austin FC, the need for their stay in the postseason spots is imperative for them, and continuing to win on the road helps.
Yes, there’s life after Rossi and Vela as this team of young guns is showing off a promising future for this club. After all, Carlos Vela has made hints of his probable departure to play in Europe’s top leagues.
LAFC will be put to the test Sunday afternoon in Providence Park when they face off against the Portland Timbers, another high riding team on the positive.
Can they produce an upset in Rose City?
Probable Lineup
GK Tomas Romero, Mamaou Mbacke, Jesus Murillo, Marco Farfan; Kim Moon Hwan, Francisco Ginella, Daniel Crisostomo, Rahem Edwards; Jose Cifuentes; Cristian Arango, Brian Rodriguez
Meetings
07/21/2021 Portland Timbers 2-1 LAFC
11/08/2020 LAFC 1-1 Portland Timbers
10/18/2020 Portland Timbers 1-1 LAFC
Line
Difficult to predict, after both clubs come from positive outings and riding on high momentums
